Who Killed Fia in Elden Ring and Why?
Fia‘s Mysterious and Tragic Story
As an avid fan who has completed multiple playthroughs of Elden Ring, I‘ve taken a keen interest in unraveling the tragic tale of Fia, an important NPC with mysterious motives in the Lands Between. For those still progressing her questline, be warned – this article contains spoilers!
To provide a clear answer first – Fia is killed by D‘s vengeful brother if you choose to give him D‘s Twinned Armor set. Otherwise, she meets her end upon defeat of the Dragonlord Fortissax after bestowing the Mending Rune of the Death-Prince.
But what exactly drives the characters in this sinister saga? As a lore enthusiast, I‘ll explore the key events underpinning her demise with my own commentary weaved in.
Fia‘s Obscure Goals Around Godwyn‘s Corpse
I believe Fia sought to harness the primordial power of Destined Death to restore her vision of the Golden Order – one where undead and ghosts harmoniously coexist alongside living beings.
As the leader of the Deathbed Companions residing in the Underground Road below Leyndell, she works on the corpse of Prince Godwyn – firstborn of Queen Marika – who exists in a state between life and death after his soul was killed independently of his flesh.
Fia seems to be manipulating his now malformed shell saturated with Deathroots in Deeproot Depths for obscure ritualistic purposes. Perhaps she is trying to elevate the Prince of Death and Those Who Live in Death to holdings of power amidst the Erdtree metaphysics on par with Lady Ranni‘s Age of the Stars ending.
Killing D to Obtain a Key Fragment of Destined Death
Fia has you first deliver a weathered dagger to D, Hunter of the Dead deep below Stormveil Castle, before slaying him herself shortly after. Unbeknownst to the player Tarnished, she did this to secure D‘s half of the Rune of Death and return it to Godwyn‘s remains.
As assembling embodiments of Destined Death is core to her ambitions surrounding the Prince, killing D was a means to this end. Still – the decision shocks me given their seeming alignment around Death worship and ushering in an age welcoming to undead. Were her motivations so profoundly obscure that his demise was necessary?
Perhaps blindness amidst herady ideals drove her hand…or maybe I have yet to unravel deeper truths. All I know is an ominous air lingered after I discovered his corpse and Fia expressed no remorse.
Vengeance for D Sparks Fia‘s Downfall
In my first playthrough, I chose to gift D‘s Twinned Armor Set to his brother prior to entering Leyndell as he requested a memento of his kin. This fatefully seals Fia‘s own fate later in her questline even if unaware in the moment.
After defeating ancient Dragonlord Fortissax and receiving the Mending Rune of the Death-Prince from Fia, I returned to Deeproot Depths only to discover her lifeless body with D‘s armored brother standing solemnly above.
As I pieced together in reflection, gifting the armor forged a loyalty between us that kindled a reciprocal vengeance once D lay slain by her hand. My role as accomplice in that exchange hung heavy…I had failed to foresee the consequences of my own actions.
Perhaps such blindness serves as allegory; how many times through history and our own lives have we ignorantly dealt fateful cards to others?
Consequences for Premature Death
If Fia meets her end prematurley, you instantly lose access to the following:
- Dragonlord Fortissax boss fight
- Mending Rune of the Death-Prince (special ending)
- Prince of Death Staff weapon
Thus it is prudent for lore hunters to avoid any violence towards her until the latter half of the questline even in light of head-scratching motivations. I recommend hugging Fia instead of attacking during her discourse on ethics around Those Who Live in Death.
As Elden Lord veteran BocTheEldenLord quipped, "Keep Fia alive as long as you can stomach her moralizing – the rewards lie just beyond the Dragonlord lair in Deeproot!"
I offer this guidance in hopes her full arc may be revealed to more Tarnished, despite concluding in tragedy twisted by vengeance. Now I open this tale to the forum – what secrets yet evade our grasp? What perspectives challenge my own? Jot your thoughts below so we all may inch closer to enlightenment on Fia‘s enigmatic journey!
